When The Time Is Right
by twistedcandy
Summary: Elena and her best friend, Marina, are being haunted by a murderous vampire, and lives of people Elena and Marina know are slipping away. It's clear that Elena and Marina are the prey but who is the hunter and what do they want? BETA'D BY RIA DANCER GIRL!
1. Chapter 1: The Loss

**Hola everybody! This is my new story and it is called "When the time is right"! I really think that I will get a positive response to this and I am super proud! In this story, one of my own characters is Elena's best friend. I will update if you guys review! Enjoy…**

ELENA POV-

"Marina? " I asked, we were at my friend Caroline's party and Marina was dancing hard in her Marc Jacobs merlot coloured flats

I walked over to where she was dancing and grabbed her hand and pulled her out to the front patio

"Lena', hmm, what are you doing?" Marina slurred

You see, Marina was a big party girl. Actually a notorious party girl, we both were, we were both also bff's!

"Marina, we have to go home now!" I shouted in her ear, Marina was a little bit tipsy. We had weekly sleepovers at each other's places and if there was a party, one of us would have to drive home. So that meant no drinks for that person, it was my turn to drive home.

" Whatevs?" Marina asked but she followed me off the steps as I walked over to my car that was parked down the street.

I walked past the convertible in front of mine, but then Marina stopped walking and said "Lena'? Isn't that Lindsay?"

I turned to look closer and gasped, since it was dark I had not been really paying attention to my surroundings and Lindsay was passed out in the backseat of her car. I looked closer and since I was a nice person, I wanted to help Lindsay. But when I touched her forehead and it was cold, I tried to find her heartbeat,_ there wasn't one._

Marina screamed and shoved her iPhone in my face, I knew she was tipsy, but she wasn't completely, I knew that Marina was urging me to call 911 because I was more stable than her. Marina and Lindsay were good friends as they were both on the cheerleading team together…

As I dialled 911, Marina hopped into the car stumbling and sat next to Lindsay

"L? L?" then Marina began to sob and cry, "Lindsay!" she shouted

I turned my attention from Marina to the lady on the other end of the phone

"Hello? 911 what's your emergency?" asked a lady

"Hi, I'm at 231 Greenwood path and I was heading to my car when I saw my friend, she's dead!" I began to sob, the adrenaline was gone, and I felt scared and grieved for my friend.

"We'll send an ambulance right away" the lady said, and then she hung up

I climbed into the car and sat next to Lindsay and Marina, I wrapped my arm around Marina and the two of us held close.

"E? Who would do this to Lindsay?" Marina whispered hoarsely

"I don't know" I replied, Lindsay was murdered. But how? That question haunted me, who would do this to a teenager? Or anybody!

I saw an ambulance come and I jumped out to go talk to them, Marina stumbled after me as fast as she could.

"Miss?" the ambulance worker asked

"Yes, my friend, she IS over here!" Marina shouted from behind me motioning to Lindsay's car

The men hurried over and exchanged grim looks, they place her on a gurney and were about to cover her completely with a stark white cloth. But Marina ran to the gurney and kissed Lindsay on the cheek and gave her a hug,

MARINA POV

"L, I hope there's a cheerleading squad in heaven!" I whispered even though I knew she could not hear

I gave Lindsay a hug and kiss on the cheek; it was something all the cheerleading squad did, I wanted to say goodbye.

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	2. Chapter 2: The Knowledge

Elena and Marina slowly backed away from the Lindsay's dead and cold body but were stopped by a police worker.

"Guys, can you drop in at the police station tomorrow? We need to interview you" he said sternly

"Yeah, whatever" Marina hissed and then she grabbed Elena's hand and they strode over to the car

Elena opened the door for Marina and climbed in herself; she started the car and set off driving towards her own house. When the best friends reached Elena's house, they stepped inside and went to the kitchen.

As Elena wrote a note to her parents explaining what happened and telling them not to bother them and explaining that she would explain tomorrow. While Marina got a tray and 4 polka dotted coffee cups and filled them with vanilla mochas, Marina grabbed a tub of cookies and cream ice cream with two spoons and walked up the stairs followed by Elena.

Marina put the ice cream on Elena's desk but put the mocha's on the bathroom floor; the two girls changed into loose white silky robes and dragged bean bag chairs into the bathroom. Elena took out her steam machine that let steam out of a large tube in the top; it was used to steam your pores to clean them out. Marina pulled out a mud mask tube from her bag back and the two girls sprawled across the bean bags with a mud mask on their faces inside the steaming bathroom and sipped their mochas.

After 15 minutes, the mochas had been finished off and Marina and Elena were washing the mask of their faces and had turned off the steam machine.

Usually, the two girls used their sleepover to chat, gossip, and relax therefore the beauty routine with the steam machine. But that day, the two girls used it to forget but they didn't chat or gossip.

Marina was much more alert after the mocha but both girls were scared out of their minds and were grieving for their fellow cheerleader and friend. The two girls grabbed the spoons and began to eat the yummy soft ice cream straight out of the tub while they watched gossip girl. But that day, the two didn't laugh at the funny parts, or gasp at the gossip, they sat in silence.

After the episode was finished, the two finally began to talk-

"Elena, I can't believe she's gone!" whisper-screamed Marina who was more emotional than Elena

The two girls wrapped their arms around each other and sobbed, they were both overcome with grief. Marina's parents were gone and she lived with her older 23 year old sister named Nikki and Elena's parents were out for the night.

Eventually, the girls detangled themselves and went to sleep in fluffy down sleeping bags.

+++ THE NEXT DAY-

Elena and Marina both woke up and stumbled sleepily over to the bathroom to wash their faces and brush their teeth.

Marina combed her soft, silky, black just over the shoulder wavy hair and put it into a messy ponytail and changed into shorts, flip flops, and a beaded tank top with a loose grey wrap. She applied some moisturizer to her lightly tanned face and applied an ant puffy serum under her brown eyes. Marina had cried so much her eyes had become puffy looking.

Elena tied her mahogany long tresses into a side braid and put a little bit of tinted lotion on her legs. She changed into a white with blue flowers sundress and a pair of espadrilles. She brushed mascara on her eyelashes and put sunscreen on.

The two girls ran down the stairs, happy that Elena's parent weren't downstairs yet and walked to the police station and while they walked, they decided that they would have breakfast after.

Elena pushed open the heavy metal door and Marina went into the police station and Elena followed, the receptionist told them to go to room 23 so they walked there.

Inside the room there were two men and they were both incredibly good looking, the first one had messy black hair and stunning blue eyes while the other one had bright green eyes and soft-looking brown wavy hair.

"Have a seat" the brown haired man said to Marina and Elena

The two girls sat down and the brown haired man shut the door

"I'm Stefan" the brown haired guy said

"And, I'm Damon, Stefan and I are brothers"

"I'm Marina, and this is Elena" Marina said motioning to Elena

Stefan and Damon shook both their hands

"Alright, so it was you two who found Lindsay in her car yesterday?" Damon asked

"Yeah, we just were going to leave the party and I was a _little_ drunk and I saw Lindsay passed out" Marina said

" When we approached her, we thought that she was passed out maybe from alcohol and since she was our friend we obviously wanted to help, and then we realised she had passed away" Elena continued

"Okay" Stefan said while scrawling down some stuff in a yellow notepad

"Did you guys notice anything abnormal when you realised she had passed away?" Damon asked softly

Elena and Marina both shook their heads

"Elena, Marina. We have some disturbing news to tell you, first of all, Stefan and I are not part of the police. We are from the VPPA, the Vampire Peoples Protection Agency, we save people from vampires."

Marina raised her eyebrows and began to laugh

_Vampires? What the hell are these guys doing? OUR FRIEND JUST DIED YESTERDAY AND THEY SAY THEY ARE FROM A VPPA?_

"It's not a joke, Stefan and I are vampires too. We work with the agency to track down the bad ones" Damon said sternly

Stefan shook his head and placed several pictures on the desk, "Do you see these people? This person has long brown hair and brown eyes like you, Elena".

"This person has black just above the shoulder hair with chocolate eyes like you Marina" Stefan continued

"Both these girls were murdered, they were completely drained of blood" Damon said

Damon put 2 more pictures on the table of a neck? "You see these punctures? A vampire bit them"

Damon placed one more picture on the table, "This was your friend's neck"

Now, Marina and Elena leaned forward and gasped when they realised it was indeed their friend's neck, and there were two small punctures surrounded by a little bit of blood.

"You see, several people have been killed that look like you two. Also, your friend was just killed. Do you see the pattern?" asked Stefan

"You mean, if vampires are real, they are after Marina and I?" Elena whispered

"Yes"

"Prove it, how are _you guy's_ vampires?" Marina said challengingly

Damon and Stefan exchanged a look and then vamped out, the veins spread around their eyes and fangs sprouted from their mouths. _ Their eyes became red._

Marina swallowed and said "So it's true, there is a freaking vampire out to get us"

"YES!"

"You have to come with us, pack your bags we are leaving tomorrow afternoon and your family has been notified that you are in danger but they don't know about the vampires. They think we are CIA and that there is a serial killer after you." Stefan said

"Do we have to go?" asked Elena who didn't want to leave her home, her comfort zone

"Do you value your life?" Damon asked sarcastically

Elena nodded and the two girls said bye while walking back to Elena's house…

777

SO, did you like it? I have like 4 hits but nobody reviewed! PLEAESE REVIEW!


	3. Chapter 3: The NonExistent Cult :

**Heyy guys, Please review. It really makes me happy, also in this story, Elena's parents never died.**

"Elena, do you trust them? They are, - vampires!" spluttered Marina

"Yeah, I guess, I hope they tell us a bit about themselves. But there is a serial killer after us, who is a vampire."

"Did you _see _Damon? He is a total Hawt-E!" whisper screamed Marina, "But it's not the time to think about that considering we have a vampire after us"

"Wait!" a voice shouted from behind them, Elena and Marina turned around and saw Stefan.

"Here, these are vervain lockets, wear them and do NOT take them off. They prevent you from being compelled from a vampire!"

"What do you mean by compelled?" asked Elena

"Vampires can well it's like they can take control of your mind, they can make you do something or forget something. It's complicated, but don't take these necklaces off!" Stefan said

"Oh, also, tell your parents to NOT invite anybody they don't know in the house. Even if it's like the pizza delivery guy, be careful; don't let them into the house. Vampires try everything from a pizza delivery guy, to sorry but my car broke just down the road, can I use your phone? Excuses" Stefan murmured

Marina slipped on the silver heart shaped locket with a solid purple painted on the front with white swirls and silver curls locking over the top. Elena put on a silver locket with a solid red painted on the front with silver curls locking over the top like Marina's. (LINKS OF THE LOCKETS ARE ON MY PROFILE!)

Marina ran over to her house and began to pack all her clothes in 3 Prada suitcases, and yes, she packed ALL of her clothes. She took her Reebok bag back and put her toothbrush, makeup, comb, toothpaste, moisturizer, soap, couple magazines, her iPhone charger, and headphones. Marina then grabbed her black Prada purse and put her phone, wallet, mirror, and nail file in it. Marina grabbed a Abercrombie tote bag that was slung over a chair in her room and put in her ballet flats from the previous night, sneakers, and high heels. Marina then went to sleep in warm cotton PJ's.

Elena threw open the front door and put all her clothes into 2 Louis Vuitton suitcases; she never really felt the need to buy that many clothes unlike Marina. She put her toothbrush, makeup, toothpaste, comb, and a bar of soap into a bag pack along with some of the books she enjoyed reading .And placed running shoes, flats, and high heels inside a shoe bag. Elena knew that Marina would bring running shoes, flats, and high heels because you can wear those with lots of different styles of clothes. Finally, Elena filled her Juicy Couture purse with her phone, Chapstick, iPod, headphones, and her diary.

Her mother gave her this diary, it was small enough to put in a purse but big enough to write a lot in. Elena would miss her mother and father; she was used to her parents being there for her all the time. Unfortunately, for Marina, she only had her older sister who frequently partied and was almost never ever home.

Elena dragged her suitcases to the door and said bye to her parents, she knew it was still morningish and she still had not eaten breakfast, but she just wanted to crawl into bed and cry.

_When does a serial killer-bloodthirsty-crazy vampire come after you? And then when do 2 hot vampires come, tell you that you need to leave with them for your safety? AND THEN WHEN DO YOU FALL FOR THEM? Thoughts flew amok around Elena's head till she fell asleep_

**The next morning,~~~**

Marina left a note on the table saying that the CIA had taken her and Elena to safety, cause' there was a serial killer after them. She also wrote not to worry about her, but she knew her sister wouldn't even care for her safety anyways. A single tear dripped down her cheek as she walked out of her house with her bags and she loaded them into her yellow Ferrari, it used to be her dads and in his will he had bequeathed it to her. Marina then drove to the police office and walked to room number 23.

Elena hugged and kissed her parents goodbye and they drove her to the police office and wanted to walk inside with her, but Elena insisted that they didn't so as any parents they listened to her wish because no matter how much Elena's parents may not want it to happen, it might be Elena's very last wish…

Elena grabbed her bags and strode with purpose over to room 23 and saw Marina inside already and with one look, Elena knew her friend was crying inside but looking strong. Damon was sitting on the opposite side of the table and was looking at her intently while Marina started right above him at the clock.

Elena walked over and kissed Marina on the cheek and gave her a hug, like it was said before, it was a cheerleader thing. Neither girl noticed but, Damon quirked his eyebrow when he saw.

He remembered the ambulance guys telling them that Marina had done the same thing to Lindsay before they took her away. Hmm, he thought, I've gotta ask what's up with them doing that later.

"Alright then, "Damon said with a tinge of awkwardness in his voice," I'll grab your heaviest suitcases"

"But they are really really heavy!"

" Vampire," Damon said pointing to himself," Super strength, Super Hearing, Super Sight, Super Speed, Super hotness" Damon was trying to lighten the mood and did a good job, Marina cracked a smile and Elena giggled

Damon grabbed Elena and Marina's heaviest suitcases and walked out the door out the front entrance of the police station, he whistled when he saw the bright yellow Ferrari (It's Marina's remember?).

"I wonder whose car that is, I like it, and it even has Prada seat covers!" he said

"It's mine," Marina said blushing," My dad bequeathed it to me, because I chose it"

"Bequeathed?" Damon asked, trying to figure out who exactly Marina was

"He di-died with my mom, in a car crash" Marina said, her voice quivered and then became strong at the end

"I'm sorry" Damon said earnestly," Oh, would you like someone to bring your car back to your house?"

"Yeah," Marina tossed him the keys and Damon called "Phillip! Drive this car back to Marina's and leave the keys in the main safe!" Damon tossed the keys to the man who nodded and smiled as he walked into the building

Damon loaded the entire luggage into the Black SUV and opened the door for the girls to get in, and then he got in himself.

"So, where exactly are we going?" Elena asked

"We are going to stay at a hotel in New York City for 1 week and then we are going to move to a house in Boston." He replied

"You mean a safe house?"

"You _could_, call it that, but it is just a house"

"Um, how would a house protect us, wouldn't a hotel be safer cause its more public?" Elena asked

Damon thought a little and concluded that the way the two girls were thinking was intelligent and factual. But when it came to vampires, everything turned into myths, stories, and folklores.

"No not really, vampires can go and leave as they please at a hotel because it is sort of a public area. But vampires cannot enter houses if they are not invited in, we are staying at the hotel partly because the house needs to be made ready and also we are trying to throw the vampire off our track." Damon quipped

"So, do tell us about vampires" Marina said with curiosity sparkling in those eyes that Damon was getting lost in

"Well, vampire has super strength, speed, hearing, sight and we _all_ look good"

"Okay, keep going Damon"

"Some vampires have jewellery that protects us from the sun, a witch has to spell them in order for the jewellery to be productive and if you take the jewellery off when you are in the sunlight, Boom!"

"You end up being a pile of dust!" added Damon

"So there are such things as witches too?" Elena asked incredulously

"Yup" Damon said popping the "p"

"And the only way to kill a vampire is staking it in the heart, a wooden stake" Damon said, "Also, you can hurt one with wood, they heal fast unless there is wood in the wound or they haven't drank blood in a while"

Both Girls nodded

"They can compel you, it's like mind control, unless you are wearing vervain, that's the stuff in your lockets and yeah that's basically it" Damon finished

Both girls nodded again and Elena took out her iPod and Marina took out _Elle Magazine…_

Marina leaned against her seat and propped her legs on the glove box and began to read her magazine while Elena leaned her head on Marina's shoulder and put her feet on the door handle.

DAMON POV-

I smirked; Marina wore a white flowing shoulder top with three quarter sleeves and a short jean skirt with chocolate brown Prada flats. I could see up her skirt straight to those black leather boyshorts she was wearing underneath.

Marina seemed to be my type, and there wasn't much of my _type_ anyway, she loved Prada and had a gorgeous bod, 2 things that I just loved in a girl. The funny thing is that we were both broken, me because of Katherine, and her because her parents are gone.

_But I'm a vampire, with no redeeming qualities, why would she choose to run in the darkness like I do?_

Elena seemed to be more of my brother, Stefan's type, quiet, but a happy person. As if Elena was reading my mind, she said "Where's Stefan?"

"He'll be joining us at the house for backup, but I'm more of the _field agent_" I replied

"But I have a question for you two, _are you_ part of some lezzy cult?" I asked motioning at how the girls were basically lying on each other's laps

"No!" shouted Marina, "We are leaning on each other cause there are no _damn pillows in here!"_

Elena nodded and screamed "You know, in _Marina's_ car, there are pillows and they are super comfy!"

"Okay then, will you _puh-lease_ stop the bashing session on my car?" I asked

"And we've been BFF's since we were like, 2!" Marina shouted

"Okay, got that, super sensitive vampire hearing remember?" I asked cockily

I was happy now, since I knew that Marina wasn't part of some cult, she could be mine to take. But again, no girl has the strength to keep running from me, she will be mine soon, I thought. I adjusted my mirror a little to get the perfect view of Marina and continued to drive to New York City.

**K, so did you like it? Guess what? I just got some AWESOME news; Ria-Dancer-Girl is going to Beta this story! YAY! - Thanks Ria!**

**So look out for more chapters! **


	4. Chapter 4: Somethings arent innocent

**Aww, thanks to all my reviewers! You guys rock! :) Special thanks to my Beta, Ria- Dancer- Girl! **

By the time the trio had arrived at the hotel it was nearly midnight and they were exhausted. They walked up to their floor and entered the hotel room, prompting the girls to immediately gasp in shock.

IT WAS HUGE!

The walls were a cream colour with beige trim and there was a kitchen, a living room with a flat screen TV and a soft couch, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a really nice view out the window.

Damon said good night and headed for the shower and Elena and Marina went into their room to change, eager to get to sleep.

~The-Next-Morning~

Elena and Damon had gotten up and were eating breakfast but Marina was still fast asleep in her bed, so Damon decided to wake her up.

He gently opened the bedroom door and saw Marina in bed with the comforter pulled up to her chin. Her breathing was slow and even.

Damon sat on Elena's bed and admired Marina for a little while, the way her shiny black hair was a beautiful mess across the pillows and how her face looked peaceful and helpless. Eventually, Damon stood up and walked over to Marina's bed. Kneeling down beside it, he gently poked her arm.

"Mmm?"

"You need to wake up, you know."

Marina moaned a little and rolled over; Damon pulled back the covers and was astonished.

Marina was sleeping in a lacy black top paired with miniscule black silk shorts. The top was tight on her upper chest and flowy around her stomach, and it was basically see-through. Marina then noticed the absence of the comforter and raised her head from the pillow, rubbing her bleary eyes.

She gasped and blushed before throwing a pillow at Damon's face and running into the bathroom. She emerged five minutes later wearing jeans and a long-sleeved striped top.

"Sorry!" Marina mumbled, blushing again.

"Oh it's all fine, I enjoyed it!" Damon said, smirking at Marina's embarrassed face.

Marina rolled her eyes at him and then crossed the room to open the window. As soon as she pulled back the curtain she let out an ear-piercing scream. Damon was at her side in less than a second and he was rather astonished at what he saw.

A man was hanging off the window-washer machine straight outside their window. He began to speak in a creepy voice, "1-2, they're coming for you. 3-4, bet you wish you could live more. And don't forget, the dead aren't a problem." As soon as the words left his mouth, he let go and fell several stories, crashing to the ground.

Marina promptly fainted and landed in Damon's arms.


	5. Chapter 5 Clear to me now

_A man was hanging off the window-washer machine straight outside their window. He began to speak in a creepy voice, "1-2, they're coming for you. 3-4, bet you wish you could live more. And don't forget, the dead aren't a problem." As soon as the words left his mouth, he let go and fell several stories, crashing to the ground.  
Marina promptly fainted and landed in Damon's arms. _

Marina's eyes fluttered, and for a moment all she saw was a sea of bright blue. After she blinked a few more times the sea transformed into two brilliant, glowing orbs. There was only one place she had seen that color before. "Damon?" She murmured, surprised at how weak her voice sounded.

"Marina!" The concerned voice of her best friend cut through the haze in her mind first, followed shortly after by Damon's whispered words of comfort.

"It's okay," he said, "I'm here. We both are."

Marina tried to push herself up to a sitting position, but the action made her vision blur and her head spin. She felt hands fly instantly to her right arm and upper back as Damon supported her. He leaned her upright against the wall, but left his hand on her arm for a moment longer than necessary.

Marina started at the sudden contact, and Damon removed his hand as soon as she glanced down at it. She barely had enough time to catch her breath before she got a face full of long brown hair.

"Oh my god!" Elena cried, pulling Marina tightly to her chest. "I was so worried about you! I heard something fall, and when I came into the room Damon was lying you on the ground."  
The brunette moved back, and Marina cleared her throat, attempting to speak again. This time her voice came out much stronger. "What happened? I mean, what was that?"

Elena frowned, clearly not yet knowing what caused the other girl to faint. They both turned to Damon, who rubbed at the back of his neck before answering.

"That was someone who must have been compelled by the vampire who's coming after you. It's pretty standard stuff for a vampire, using someone to do your dirty work. Usually, humans are compelled to pass on messages and then kill themselves, so that they can't be questioned about the vampire who sent them. That could be what we just, except..." Damon explained, looking uncomfortable as he trailed off.

"Except what?" Marina pressed, a sick feeling settling in the pit of her stomach.

"Except I think the man we just had that pleasant little encounter with was already dead before he spoke to us." Damon finished. "I've heard of it being done before, but I've never seen it. It requires a very powerful vampire to make it work."

Marina leaned her head back, trying to process that information. Elena furrowed her brow, looking even more confused than before. "Will someone please tell me what's going on?"  
Damon's eyes shot to Elena's. "Of course. I forgot you haven't exactly been filled in yet. I came to wake Marina up, and she wasn't quite decent, so she went to change." He illustrated, smirking at that sentence as Marina blushed. "When she came out of the bathroom she opened the window. There was a man hanging there, and he told us-"

"1-2, they're coming for you. 3-4, bet you wish you could live more. And don't forget, the dead aren't a problem." Marina finished for him. "Then he fell to the ground, and I fainted."

"And you think that this man was already dead when Marina found him?" Elena questioned, turning back to Damon.

"Yup. And death really doesn't look good on some people. I mean, he was kind of... well, creepy looking. But look at me, technically I'm dead and I still look like a Greek god!" Damon quipped, causing Elena to giggle and Marina to throw another pillow at him. As it turned out, she had great aim. The pillow hit him right in the nose. Marina just smirked under his glare.

"Marina you'd better stop that!" Elena said, gesturing to the smirk on her friend's lips, "You're starting to look like him!"

Elena and Marina both looked over to Damon, who (to their surprise) was genuinely smiling. Not a smirk, but a smile.

He shook himself out of it fairly quickly though, and stood up. Elena did the same, and both her and Damon reached out an arm to help up Marina.  
Marina glared playfully at the two of them and pushed herself up, accepting help from neither of them.

Damon's gaze settled on her for a moment, an emotion she couldn't place buried deep within his eyes. Then he blinked, and it was gone. "So, I think we should get out of here as soon as possible. We can't afford to take chances, now that your little vampire stalker has located us. You guys start packing your stuff, and I'll make it look like we were never here."  
"But where are we going to stay for the rest of the week?" Elena asked Damon's already retreating back.

"I have an old friend who lives in New York. She'll hide us until we can get to the 'safe-house' in Boston." Damon replied, without turning around.

Damon thought for another moment, his friend, and her name was Ashleigh and she was a vampire too. Damon met her while he was roaming the streets of Paris and Ashleigh was very close to him, they were, well, sort of BFFS with benefits.

Marina stared as Damon walked out of the room and into the kitchen. With a glance back at Elena, she followed him. Once she caught up to him she questioned, with heavy sarcasm, "Wait, you have friends?"

Damon smirked, "Hard to believe, huh?"

Marina shook her head, lowering her voice, "No, not all the time." Marina also mentally cursed herself, _No! Don't make flirty little comments! He's just there to protect you! He's just a safeguard! And a friend- a smaller voice repeated in Marina's head_

Damon turned to look at her. The un- nameable expression had returned to his face and a smile was pulling up the corners of his lips. "Thank you," he said his own voice just as low as hers. Damon wasn't all that used to people being sensitive towards him.

Marina smiled back for a moment, before continuing to walk through the hotel room, picking up the few things she had lying around. Facing away from him, she found the courage to voice the question that had been nagging her since Damon explained his theory that the compelled man was dead. Vampires, creatures of the night, doing crazy things! I wonder what else is in the world. "Earlier you said that it took a very powerful vampire to compel the dead," she begun, "I was just wondering, can you do it? Compel the dead?"

She could hear him freeze behind her, and she turned around slowly, looking him right in the eyes. Those beautiful ice blue eyes, the ones that seemed to take her to _another_ world when she looked into them- looking for the treasure hidden in the depths of the two twin bright blue eyes that reminded Marina so much of a beautiful sea.

"I don't know." He whispered, so quietly that she had to strain to hear him. "I don't think so, but... I've never tried."

Marina is surprised at the relief that shoots through her. It is good to know that, despite the air of danger surrounding him, he is not a monster. "Good," she said, voice full of conviction. Marina always decided her thoughts and opinions on things quite fast because it was a habit, and of course she was a strongly opinioned girl.

Damon's eyes flickered with surprise, and a tentative smile appeared in them, although his mouth remained firmly motionless.

A moment later, Marina looked away from him, breaking their connection. "I guess I'd better go pack."

"I guess so, unless you want to spend the rest of the trip naked. We don't need to attract any_ more_ attention to ourselves do us? Although," Damon placed his hand on the side of her face, "I wouldn't mind." Damon replied, his smirk as smug as ever.

Marina's blushed and ran out of the room with her heart beating like a jackhammer

Damon shook his head sharply, shocked at the affect that this one human girl had on him. One girl, just one. Nobody did that to him, **he was Damon freaking Salvatore! ** Right now he couldn't think about that, they had bigger problems to focus on.

**Alrighty everybody! Please review, and give AWLLLL the credit to my WICKED AWESOME Beta Ria-Dancer-Girl! She wrote this chapter that is sooo incredibly long and I just added a couple parts to it, I think we might take turns writing and editing so tell us what you think about this chapter in a review! **

**Damon's the hottest vamp around, 3!**


	6. Chapter 6: Drown Me In Blood PART 1

A moment later, Marina looked away from him, breaking their connection. "I guess I'd better go pack."

"I guess so, unless you want to spend the rest of the trip naked. We don't need to attract any more attention to ourselves do us? Although," Damon placed his hand on the side of her face, "I wouldn't mind." Damon replied, his smirk as smug as ever.

Marina blushed and ran out of the room with her heart beating like a

jackhammer.

Damon shook his head sharply, shocked at the affect that this one human girl had on him. One girl, just one. Nobody did that to him, he was Damon freaking Salvatore! Right now he couldn't think about that, they had bigger problems to focus on.

"Mari-na! Have you seen my navy sweater with gold stitching?" Elena called, drawing out her friend's name.

"It's under your pillow! Have you seen my denim jacket?" Marina asked,  
stuffing her clothes into her suitcase.

"It's in the bathroom!" Elena shouted back to her.

Marina raced to the bathroom and pulled on her denim jacket over top of her white tee with red coral beads stitched around the v-neck. She slid her wallet and phone into her pocket and put her suitcase outside in the hall, knowing that a bellhop would pick it up.

She rushed back inside the room and helped Elena find her purse. It wound up being under the bed. I have no idea how Elena gets her stuff in such random places! Marina thought.

Several minutes later, Elena walked out of the hotel room dressed in a ruby red cashmere sweater layered over a midnight blue lacy tank top. Ralph Lauren skinny jeans and fashionable ankle boots completed the look.

Damon joined them at the reception desk, where they were giggling over the show on the TV. He quickly checked out of the hotel and practically dragged the girls into the large, black SUV. He hopped behind the steering wheel and they were swiftly back on the highway again.

Marina and Elena texted each other in the backseat: sharing their thoughts and reminiscing about good times, just to distract themselves from the fact that somebody was out to kill them. The two girls didn't show it, but they were scared out of their minds!

Elena felt frightened and violated because, in just a few days time, one of her best friends had died, and she had learned that not only did vampires exist, but one of them (a very powerful vampire killer who could control the dead, to be exact) was after herself and Marina!

_

About an hour later, the trio pulled up in front of a pleasant looking house in the middle of the woods. Suddenly, a hysterical laugh filled the air, seeming to echo throughout the trees. Damon's eyes darted around, and he protectively drew both girls slightly behind him.

Elena squeezed her eyes shut and counted to ten, to calm herself down.  
When something wet splattered onto her face, Elena's eyes flew open and she screamed.

Dangling above her was a man hanging from a tree, with blood trickling out from around the knife plunged into his stomach. Damon turned and stared and Marina twisted away, feeling nauseous.

Omg guys! I am such a bitch! I'm sorry, Ria sent this to me a long long long time ago and I FORGOT ! So here is the posted chapter, and I am really really sorry!

Special thanks to Ria for her awesome job of editing and writing! :0


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